Port Whitby Self-guided Walking Tour
In 1819, John Scadding, clerk for Lieutenant-Governor John Graves Simcoe, was awarded a large tract of land now known as Port Whitby. Originally known as Port Windsor, the area encompassed the natural harbour in the south up to Victoria Street in the north. Soon after settlement, the harbour was used to ship local grain, lumber, and farm produce across Canada and the United States. Farmers transported their produce to Port Windsor using a plank toll road, now Brock Street, and the Port Whitby, Port Perry, and Lindsay Railway. From the 1840s to the 1870s, Windsor Harbour prospered, leading to a number of developments that modernized the harbour s infrastructure and surrounding industry. It was also during this time, in 1847, that Windsor Harbour was officially renamed Whitby Harbour. The bustling community of Port Whitby sprung up around the harbour with a number of houses, hotels, shops, and breweries supporting further development. Port Whitby, including the harbour, was one of three communities that formed the original Town of Whitby in 1855 along with Hamer s Corners and Perry s Corners. 1 269 Water Street - Old Pump House c. 1904 This building was erected in 1904 following a decision of the Council of the Town of Whitby supporting the establishment of a municipal waterworks system. The pumps were originally powered by coal which was delivered to the doorway on the building s north façade that opened onto sideline tracks of the Port Whitby, Port Perry Railway. Pumping water from Lake Ontario to the water tower located on Euclid Street and later, in Kinsmen Park, the pump house was in operation until 1959 when a new facility was constructed just east of this building. The pump house is a fine example of public utilities architecture with its decorative corbeling and it stands as a reminder of Whitby s development as a sustainable municipality. 10 8 11 12 9 7 6 5 3 4 2 2 100 Water Street - Nip and Tuck Rail Line c. 1871 These tracks are the last remaining pieces of the Port Whitby, Port Perry Railway, familiarly known to citizens of Whitby as the Nip and Tuck. The first tracks were laid in 1871 and the railway ran north from Port Whitby through Brooklin and Myrtle Station, to Port Perry; the line was extended to Lindsay in 1877. Originally built for the purposes of transporting lumber and grain from the northern farming communities to Port Whitby for further shipment, the railway suffered economic downturns when the forests were quickly cleared and tariffs from the United States slowed foreign grain imports. By the 1890s, the Nip and Tuck was primarily a passenger line with tracks being removed as early as 1941. 1 January 2016 www.whitby.ca/heritage 905 430 4306
3 134 Front Street East c. 1910-19 This house, owned by Captain Richard Goldring, was one of the first built in Whitby of precast concrete blocks, a new construction method of that time period. It has been renovated in recent years with a major addition being added to the original structure. 6 1604 Dufferin Street Former St. John s Church Rectory c. 1917 Built by Frederick N. Burns, an early Whitby entrepreneur, this house was purchased by St. John s Anglican Church in 1925 as a rectory. It is now a private residence. 4 1751 Dufferin Street McAllan-Goldring House c. 1893 Built from the remains of an earlier house, this was the home of Captain Richard Goldring (1859-1945) who was a sailor on Lake Ontario and later operated a general store and post office at Port Whitby. 7 1516 Dufferin Street Dufferin Street School c. 1851 This brick school house was the meeting place of the County Council when Ontario County was formed in 1852. It served as a school until Brock Street School was built in 1916. It is now a private residence. 5 1733 Dufferin Street Watson/Galbraith House c. 1857 This building, designated under the Ontario Heritage Act, was the home of John Watson (1806-1879) a grain dealer at Port Whitby, and one of the first Whitby Councillors for Port Whitby, now the South Ward. Together with James Rowe, Watson helped develop the Port into a thriving community in the 1850s and 1860s. The house was later owned by David Galbratih (1849-1926) one of the owners of Whitby Harbour who served as Harbourmaster. All homes can be viewed from the street 8 150 Victoria Street East St. John s Anglican Church c. 1846 This church first opened its doors for service on July 5, 1846. Constructed of Kingston limestone, the church received a number of repairs and additions, including stained glass windows and a basement for Sunday School. The cemetery was established during the church s opening year and many of Whitby s prominent pioneering families are buried there. More recently, the St. John s Outreach Committee has established a community garden. Do not enter private property
9 1601 Brock Street South - James Cameron House c. 1854 This house was built circa 1854 for James Cameron, a retired farmer who settled on the site of the Ontario Hospital lands in 1831. His son, Donald Grant Cameron then owned the house, and in turn, Donald Cameron s daughter Clara (Mrs. Charles Bottomley) owned the home. Legend states that the house was originally two houses joined together. 12 299 Front Street West Captain James Rowe House c. 1856 This frame house was built circa 1856 for James Rowe, Whitby s first Mayor, although interior details have been dated to the 1840s. One of the finest surviving examples of an early building at Port Whitby, the house contains the original interior central hall floor plan although the rooms have since been reassigned. Rowe was a prominent grain merchant who was responsible for the development of the harbour at Port Whitby. It was relocated in 1999 and is now a museum run by the Whitby Community Heritage Association. 10 1450 Henry Street - Station Gallery c. 1903 Whitby Junction Station was built at the foot of Byron Street for the Grand Trunk Railway (GTR) in 1903. Its turrets and bays were typical of train stations along the GTR because they provided functional elements needed for telegraph operators to view incoming and outgoing trains. The low-hanging roof offered protection to passengers on the platforms. The station s low and linear design layout is reminiscent of the Arts and Crafts style, the elements of which serve to blend and enhance the relationship between the landscape and architecture; the station s many windows served to help bring the outside in. In 1970 the station was adapted into an art gallery. Whitby ALWAYS A GREAT DAY TO SHOP LOCAL 11 301 Watson Street West - Port Whitby Marina c. 2003 Located on Whitby s natural harbour, the Port Whitby Marina is an award-winning, 420-slip marina operated by the Town of Whitby. The Marina offers fishing charters, sailing lessons, a clubhouse and lounge, and a public boat launch. A joint project of the Town of Whitby Planning and Development Department, LACAC Heritage Whitby & Whitby Public Library whitby.ca/downtown SHOPS, SPAS & ENTERTAINMENT AT YOUR DOORSTEP
Love your location grace sandra Grace Cardona Broker Sandra Dantas Sales Representative 905.430.9000 connect@graceandsandra.com graceandsandra.com Sutton Group Heritage Realty Inc., Brokerage * 308 Dundas Street West, Whitby, Ontario L1N 2M5 *Independently owned and operated